The invention relates generally to the field of footgear: dress shoes, athletic boots, sneakers, orthopedic shoes and the like, and more particularly to an improved means for quick, easy, inexpensive and therapeutic individual custom fitting by mechanical means within said footgear.
Walking is a complicated bio-mechanical process. As the heel strikes, the Talus and attached Calcaneous (heel) bone, which make up the Sub Taler joint, move downwardly and medially, acting as a shock absorber. The range of said movement is called pronation. The degree of pronation is a direct factor that determines the efficiency of the foot and leg as well as all related parts of the body above the foot, as well as the parts of the foot distal to these bones.
Abnormal degrees of pronation can cause incorrect positioning of all the directly and indirectly connected bones which in turn causes strain on all the directly and indirectly connected joints, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels and muscles. This strain may be felt any where throughout the body as aches, pains, fatigue, cramping, pulled muscles, fasciitis, tendenitis, etc. If left untreated the condition may worsen and cause chronic xe2x80x9cbad kneesxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cbad backsxe2x80x9d, neuromas, stress fractures of bones, etc.
The degrees of pronation are also influenced by the kind of footgear and the fit of said footgear.
The problems arising from excessive pronation have been treated by devices worn in footgear to minimize the degree of pronation. Such xe2x80x9csupportsxe2x80x9d are lumped together as xe2x80x9cArch Supportsxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cFoot Orthoticsxe2x80x9d. xe2x80x9cArch Supportsxe2x80x9d are relatively inexpensive- twenty, thirty dollars- and are sold over the counter, usually by shoe size. xe2x80x9cFoot Orthoticsxe2x80x9d are custom built over plaster casts- or the like- of the individual foot and may cost four and five hundred dollars. The devices may be constructed and formed of leather, metals and plastics of varying degrees of rigidity. While the main benefits of such xe2x80x9csupportsxe2x80x9d derive from the support under the Sub Taler joint, the xe2x80x9csupportsxe2x80x9d mimic the shape of the bottom of the foot and often have built up edges to maintain the foot in position relative to the Sub Taler supported area.
All such devices have many faults in common. They take up space within the footgear. Their fit and efficiency is effected by the shape of the sole of the footgear. As they are constantly worn they pick up odors from the feet. The breakdown of the shoe with wear will change the efficiency of the devices. The condition of the person wearing said devices may change. Changing shoes, the wearer may forget to include the devices. They may be lost. Because of their cost a person may choose not to buy them and so allow his condition to worsen. A less expensive device may not be correct for the condition treated.
Adjustments of said devices are costly. It requires the services of persons trained in the art, who have the necessary machinery and materials. Adjustments also require the investment of travel time to and from the business or offices of the adjuster for one or more times.
It is therefore among the objects of the present invention to provide means for adjusting the interior of footgear to meet the needs of the individual foot, in which the advantages of the above are substantially retained, and the disadvantages substantially eliminated.
Another object of the invention lies in the provision of mechanical means to achieve the initial custom support, as well as subsequent adjustments, quickly, easily and inexpensively. Another object is to provide means by which an individual can adjust the shoe himself when necessary. The relatively small cost and ease of use may attract its use for even small problems and thus, in the long run, prevent many of the complications arising from neglect of treating small problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,584 granted to this inventor uses a similar screw means to raise the inner aspect of the heel. The devices of this Patent consists of two distinct parts. One part controls the Sub Taler joint (heel) area of the foot. The other part controls the forward ball of the foot (metatarsal) area. However, it has been found that the raising of the small area under the Sub Taler joint area puts a painful and unwearable pressure on that small area. A semi rigid extension extending under most of medial side of the foot can distribute this excessive pressure and make it bearable and wearable. However, such a semi rigid extension cannot be used with the aforementioned patent because such an extension would then extend over and impinge the mechanism for controlling the forward metatarsal area and interfere with the working of that part of the invention. Ref lexly, it would also interfere with the working of the Sub Taler (heel) part of that invention.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing problem.
These objects and advantages will be apparent in the drawings.
In accordance with the present invention, a semi rigid piece along the long arch area, extends from the heel area to the ball of the foot area and is disposed over the inner sole of the shoe. This semi rigid piece may be of steel or plastic. The foot is maintained in position by the sides of the shoes.
The device is provided with lifting means to raise or lower the semi rigid piece. In the preferred embodiment, the lifting means is a screw that penetrates the shoe upwardly through the sole.
In another embodiment, a rigid supportive piece raises from a slit in the sole of the shoe in the Sub Taler joint heel area. This supportive piece is activated by a spring that causes it to revolve into a vertical position or as close to a vertical as the overriding semi rigid piece pressed against the foot will allow. A screw, penetrating from the side of the heel area goes through a bore in said supportive piece and acts as its axle. Tightening of this screw forces the supportive piece tightly against side flanged attachments to the wall of the slot to maintain its position.